FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: The College of New Rochelle Barbara Nitzberg: 914-654-5285

CNR STUDENTS TAKE “THE PLUNGE” 
IN THE NAME OF SERVICE
Project will benefit Communities 
in New York, Texas and Mexico

NEW ROCHELLE, NY, February 23, 2004 - The College of New Rochelle (CNR) today announced that 20 students from the School of Arts & Sciences (SAS) and School of Nursing (SN) will participate in an annual CNR tradition - performing community service during spring break (March 8-12, 2004).  Their work – part of the Centennial Service Project coordinated by Campus Ministry - will benefit Project Vida Digna (Matamoros, Mexico), El Salon De Las Ursulinas (Brownsville, Texas), and Hale House (New York City).

Education for service has been an integral part of the CNR mission since its inception in 1904 when Mother Irene Gill of the Order of St. Ursula founded The College of New Rochelle as the first Catholic college for women in New York State.  CNR started the “Plunge” more than 10 years ago to give students the opportunity to perform community service.  

For the first time in its history, the Plunge will have an international component.  CNR students will go to Matamoros, Mexico and Brownsville, Texas, two impoverished communities located right on the U.S.-Mexico border.  Under the guidance of Ursuline nuns Sister Norma Raupple and Sister Maria Teresa De Llano, students will help educate Brownsville residents on major health issues affecting their community and help improve existing housing for Matamoros residents.  Ursuline sisters have been part of the Brownsville and Matamoros communities for seven years.

Students participating in the “urban” Plunge will help care for the young children who reside at Hale House in New York City.  This Harlem institution was founded by Mother Clara Hale over 40 years ago to take care of children up to age 4 whose parents are unable to care for them due to illness, financial hardship, incarceration, homelessness, substance treatment programs, or other reasons.

CNR staff Terence McCorry and Helen Wolf, Director and Associate Director, respectively, of Campus Ministry; Marie Serina, Director of Health Services; and Dr. Marya Howell-Carter, Counseling Psychologist will be chaperones at the various sites.  The participating CNR students come from throughout metropolitan New York and include international students.  They are:

Students for Brownsville/Matamoros - Fiona Hibbert, Hope Holmes-Gay, RN Alisha Mills, Margaret Manganga (a nun from Kenya), Geisha Osborne, Amy Pettingill, Jennifer Pinheiro, Natasha Ramgahan, RN, Tiara Simmons, Taimeka Vidal, Myrcie Vilfrance, and Gail Wilson, RN

Students for Hale House - Bethany Bellino, Lissette Candelario, Julia Geronimo, Nancy Hicks, Christy Jean, Joan Lorrius, Priscilla Melo, and Jazmin De La Cruz


The first Catholic college for women in New York State, The College of New Rochelle was founded in 1904 by the Ursuline Order. Today, it comprises the all-women School of Arts & Sciences, and three schools which admit women and men: the School of New Resources (for adult learners), the School of Nursing and the Graduate School.  The main campus of the College is located in lower Westchester County, 16 miles north of New York City.  The College maintains six other campus locations in New York City. Visit the College’s website at www.cnr.edu.
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